3 Can Play This Game
by Anju1
Summary: Its the 5th year and another Yule Ball. What happens when not only 1, but 2 guys ask Hermione to the dance, and to be their girlfriend? Cute fic, R&R, Enjoy!
1. Harry

3 Can Play This Game  
  
A/N: Okay, this is my first fic on this account. My little disclaimer...I do not own Harry  
Potter...I am not J.K. Rowling or any of the actors themselves..I know nothing about  
new books and stuff....whatever. lol.  
This is a cute little romance fic. Its the 5th year and yet another Yule Ball. What will  
happen when not 1, but 2 guys asks Hermione to the dance, and to be their girlfriend?  
Find out!  
  
  
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"Are you excited for the Yule Ball?" asked Harry to Hermione.  
  
"I can wait...besides, its not like there isn't studying to do. I don't see what the  
fuss is about. Its just a party," answered Hermione.  
  
Harry, who was planning on asking Hermione to the Yule Ball, now had second thoughts.  
He felt that she displayed no interest in him, then again, she was good at hiding her  
feelings. Harry had crushed on her ever since their second year at Hogwarts, and this  
was his chance to let her know how he felt. But how?  
  
"What a pity...the ball is in a week and I don't have a date," added Harry.  
  
Hermione looked up, then smiled.  
  
"Why not try Cho Chang? I know you like her, and I don't think she has a date, either."  
  
Harry didn't like Cho Chang, he liked Hermione!  
  
"Oh, okay," replied Harry, feeling quite stupid.  
  
Hermione smiled again and continued writing her Potions essay.  
  
Why was this so hard? Its not like Hermione hasn't suspected that he liked her. I mean, they're  
best friends. And they have flirted...but does she feel the same way? Harry was nervous,  
but at the same time, determined to get it over with.  
  
"Hermione, I don't like Cho. I...I like..." he stammered.  
  
"Like who?"  
  
"Umm...well..I...don't have a date and you-"  
  
"You want to ask me to the Ball, don't you Harry?"  
  
"Well...yes...but only if you want to..." he said, feeling more stupid by the minute. Hermione  
smiled and replied:  
  
"I have to go give this to Snape. I'll think about it, okay?"  
  
"Sure...take your time."  
  
Hermione smiled again, and then left. Harry sat there, half glad he got it over with, and  
half filled with anticipation. Would she say yes? He only hoped. But he had no idea what  
he was in for.  
  
  
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Okay, please review! Good? Bad? Need to improve? Review and write suggestions. Next  
chapter comming soon! ^^ 


	2. Ron

~~The Next Day~~  
  
A/N: Okay, so Harry asked Hermione to the Yule Ball, which is the least of her troubles.  
What will happen when another guy asks her?? R&R!! Thanks  
  
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The next day at breakfast, Hermione stayed as far away from Harry as she could. She  
hadn't made up her mind, and if he came over, she would feel the pressure to tell him  
an answer. She really wanted to think about it.  
She was leaning more towards saying "yes" until Ron came over and sat next to her.  
"Good Morning," he greeted her in a rather nice tone.  
"Hi, Ron," she replied, putting marmalade on her toast.  
"Why aren't you sitting with Harry? You like always sit with him at breakfast."  
"I don't know," she lied.  
"Oh okay...well, when is the Charms test?"  
"Tommorow."  
"REALLY?! I haven't even studied! I don't know what to study! Can you help me out a little  
bit here? Maybe after school at the library?"  
"Sure, since you ovbiously can't keep track of things more important," she snapped, then  
gave him a grin. He smiled back, and grabbed a peice of toast. He started putting  
Marmalade on it while looking at Hermione, then dropped it right on his lap. Hermione  
burst out into laughter while Rons face turned red.  
"Shut up, Hermione!" he said with a joking grin on his face.  
Hermione pushed him to the side a little bit then laughed.  
  
*~Library~*  
"You might want to start with reviewing this," said Hermione while she gave Ron the  
current Charms study guide.  
"Thanks," said Ron, flipping throgh the pages.  
Hermione smiled and started to study herself.  
"Um, Hermione?"  
"Yes?" she replied without looking up.  
"Will you...go to the Yule Ball with me?"  
Hermione now looked up from her book. You can tell Ron cought her totally off-guard.  
"Well, Ron..."  
"You don't have to...its just...well I...don't have a date, and your my closest friend-"  
"Ron, I am terribly sorry, but I cannot. I already have a date...I'm so sorry."  
"Its okay...who, if you don't mind me asking?"  
Truth is, Hermione never answered Harry, but now she was sure she was going to say yes  
as soon as she told him.  
"Harry."  
Ron looked shocked. After a while, a sad expression grew upon his face.  
"Its okay...I'm fine...well, I better get going. I'm tired. I think I'll take a little  
nap before dinner," he said, and gathered his things and began to leave. Hermione followed  
him and stood in front of him.  
"Your hurt...aren't you, Ron?"  
"No, honestly, I'm fine," he lied. He tried not to look at her because then she would know.  
And he didn't want her to feel bad...he really liked her.  
Hermione kissed him on the cheek and gave him a hug. After a few seconds, he backed up.  
"I better get going...see you at dinner."  
"See ya..." said Hermione, feeling very, very bad. She had to tell Harry before Ron talked to  
him. She gathered her things and left.  
  
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Ok, please review. More chapters comming...would love to see your suggestions. thanks 


	3. Malfoy's Warning

A/N: Okay this is the 3rd Chapter...enjoy...hehe  
  
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It was dinner time in the Great Hall. Ron went and sat alone, making Hermione feel bad.  
But she was ready to tell Harry her decision, so she sat next to him.  
"Hey Harry"  
"Hi, Hermione"  
"Um, about what you asked me yesterday-"  
Harry blushed a little.  
"I just wanted to say, yes, I will go with you."  
Harry smiled and said "Okay."  
  
Hermione was happy, but still felt a little guilt left over from turing down Ron.  
  
  
On the way back to her common room, she ran into Draco.  
"So your going to the ball with Potter now aren't you?"  
"Its really none of your business, Malfoy," said Hermione in a nasty sounding tone.  
"I know you are. What a pity...you did break Weasly's heart."  
Hermione stopped and thought about it. Did she really? Oh thats horrible...she thought.  
But then again, this is Malfoy she was dealing with. He could be lying...or trying  
to get somewhere.  
"Oh but I guess it doesn't matter...you're miss perfect Hermione Granger."  
"And your the unsensitive cunning Malfoy."  
"Ohh I'm hurt now!"  
Hermione rolled her eyes and proceeded on to the common room. Malfoy followed then stood  
in her way.  
"Listen- as much as I don't give a care whether or not your going out with one of them,  
I dont like that I can't pick on all of you as a group. How do you know Harry really likes you?  
He could be using you."  
"Hes not like that. Besides, hes not my boyfriend! He's just my date."  
Hermione walked off to the common room. She recited the password and sat down at a chair  
by the fire and let out a long, deep sigh. Ron came over and joined her.  
"Hello," Ron greeted her.  
"Hi, Ron."  
"Whats wrong?" he asked.  
"Lots of things, Ron."  
"Like what?"  
"Things you woulden't understand..."  
"Oh..."  
It was pretty certain Ron knew how Hermione felt. But he left it alone.  
There then seemed to be a long pause.  
"Im really sorry Ron, you know, about the library."  
"It's okay really."  
"No its not...I can tell your still upset."  
"So I am, I will get over it. Seriously Hermione. Its not a big deal. I still like you...as  
a friend, I mean. We will always be friends, right?"  
"Yeah. But still..."  
"Its fine! Really! I have other things to worry about too."  
Hermione gave up and changed the subject.  
"So are you staying for the holidays?"  
"Yeah, only because my parents are making a very important trip. Are you?"  
"Yes. I don't want to, I would rather stay at home with my family for the Holidays, but  
its my choice. I would like to spend this Christmas with my friends."  
She smiled at Ron, and he smiled back.  
"So who are you planning on going to the Yule Ball with?" asked Hermione.  
"I don't know, probably no one. Just go alone."  
"Oh okay...well you're more then welcome to tag along with Harry and I!"  
"No, it's ok. I dont even know if I'm still going."  
"Its up to you."  
"Yeah..."  
"Hehe, I remember when we first became friends...or when I first met you. On the train,  
remember?"  
"Oh yeah! Don't mind me saying, you were a bit-"  
"Bossy, I know," Hermione filled in.  
"Yeah," said Ron with a grin.  
"I think we both agree that we have had some pretty fun times together, no?" said Hermione.  
"Yes we have. I don't think I have had better friends then you and Harry before."  
That made Hermione blush, as she muttered "thanks".   
"Well, I better get going...I'm very tired." said Hermione.  
"See ya" said Ron.  
  
  
~At The Great Hall~  
After Hermione went up to sleep, Ron went to the Great Hall for a small snack when he found  
Harry sitting down, writing a letter. He walked passed and saw only the words written on it,  
"Dear Hermione".  
"Hi."  
"Oh hello ron," said Harry as he folded up the paper.  
"Writing to Hermione, eh?" Ron knew that was the question Harry did not want him asking.  
"Oh, yeah, just a note," he replied.  
"You're lucky...I mean, to have her," said Ron.  
Harry looked up with him and smiled. Harry did not know about how Ron asked Hermione to the  
Yule Ball.  
"Yeah, I am."  
Ron got up and told Harry he was tired and was going to go to bed.  
Harry continued writing his letter to Hermione.  
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A/N: Ok it picked up the pace a little! Please review! 


	4. The Yule Ball

A/N: Finally! The Yule Ball! haha please R&R!!  
  
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*~The Day Of The Yule Ball- Girls Dorms~  
  
Everyone was rushing to get ready for the Yule Ball, which was only an hour away.  
Hermione put her hair up. It was very pretty and curled. She easily had the  
prettiest dress in the room. It was long, tank top and short. She had her makeup  
done very pretty. She looked at herself in the mirror before she was ready to meet Harry.  
Then she went down.   
Harry was wearing nicer clothes then usual. He was waiting for her with a single rose.  
Hermione smiled and gave him a kiss on the cheek. They held hands and walked to the Great Hall  
together along with all the other Gryffindor couples (Seamus and Lavender, Cho and Percy).  
They entered the Great Hall. It was beautiful- decorated with sparkles against the wall. The  
lights were dimmed and they were playing a lot of the music they liked. Harry and Hermione  
sat down and started talking when Hermione saw Ron. He was in the corner, without a date.  
He looked very lonely. She waved at him. He smiled and gave a little wave back. She  
continued talking to Harry, then got up and danced with him. After a while, Harry  
and Hermione kind of split up. Harry went to go talk to Ron and Hermione with Lavender.  
The Yule Ball overall wasn't as fun to the three of them as it was to the rest of the  
crowd. After it was done, Hermione went up to the dorms to find Seamus and Lavender making  
out in the common room. She giggled a little bit then slipped passed without them noticing.  
She was the first girl up in the dorms, since everyone else was still hanging out in the  
halls after the Ball. To her suprise, there was a small note lying on her bed. She gently  
picked it up and opened it.  
"Dear Hermione,  
I kinda wrote this before the Yule Ball, but I have already made up my mind. Hermione,  
will you be my girlfriend?  
  
-Harry"  
Hermione let out a tear that fell on the letter. She changed into her PJ's and lyed in bed,  
crying.  
"What am I doing? I really like Ron! And yet I am breaking his heart-"  
Hermione thought about what Malfoy had told her.  
She stayed in bed for a while until she stopped crying.  
She quickly got up and changed into her robes and ran down to find Harry. The letter still  
was in her Robe. She ran through the whole crowd, still in the halls after the Ball.  
She finally found Harry and Ron talking.  
"Harry, I really need to talk to you."  
Harry winked at Ron and said "Okay."  
She brought him to the side.  
"I...I got the letter," she said.  
"And...?"  
"Harry, I like you. But...Ron...I have liked him longer..."  
"I understand. I like you too Hermione, as a friend. A good friend. You will always be."  
"Yeah..." said Hermione.  
"Well...I better get going." Said Harry as he winked at Ron. He left.  
Hermione walked over to Ron. Without saying anything, they held hands and walked back to  
the common room and sat down on the couch. Seamus and Lavender kept kissing until they  
went up to the dorms.  
Ron and Hermione cuddled.  
"What made you change your mind?" he asked her.  
"Harry was a great guy...I liked him. I just didn't love him," she said with a smile.  
They looked deep into eachothers eyes and then moved closer. She could feel his lips  
pressed against hers and they went into their own little world as everyone passed.  
  
  
  
  
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A/N: Okay! thats the end! Pretty good for my first fic eh? review! thanksa lott! 


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